Grab



Sept. 9, 1930. J. G. FITZPATRICK 4 `1,775,340

GRAB

Filed May e, 1929 2 sheets-sheet i Sept. 9, 1930. J. G. FITZPATRICK GRAB Filed May 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 Y l@ necessaryftofemploy Patented Sept. 9, 1930 inithat.diemen-type@ 10111 fishing toqlsfhave been developed forli different, Classes of work.

35 ordinarily falls upon'f-th'eJ gri'ppingjmeiiibers Q Anotherobjec't-of this "invention isto pI-OL and iilexpensivehof oon'tretion, j practical,

out beingsubj ect 'to rotati'orfa-lstraiir SUCH. asV

l t'iomofia typical` form and applieatoli ofthe invention; throughout Wilii'hQ olesrcrip'tioi11-Ii` A Eig. laagitudini-detaiiedisecaopaif `:ns-

'vsHed i from the Well; "control, means` 14; for

in various ways. In the drawings'I show aswivel connection which allows the body 1Q,V

and therefore the entire tool, to turn or rotate relative to the drill pipe. The connecg tion includes what I will term a head 90 to be applied to the lower end of a drill pipe, or the like, a sleeve 91 attached to the upper end of the body and rotatably carriedlon the head, a flange 92 and a collar 93 on the head 90 holding the sleeve in positionV on the head, and packing 94 between the flange and sleeve. The head is shown provided with a socket to receive the pin of a tool joint section. The construction just described allows the entire tool to turn relative to the drill pipe, if necessary.` Y

Thetool includes aplurality of arms 11. It is a feature of the invention to arrange and mount the arms so that they are entirely within the body when fthe. tool is being lowered into the well bore and are operated to project from the body only when it is desired to grip the object to be fishedfrom the well. In the particular form of invention illus- Y trated I have provided four arms 11 arranged symmetrically within the body. The arms are elongate members held or pivotally supported at their upper ends and provided at their lower ends with toothed jaws A17 adapted to grip the object to be fished from the well.

In the drawings I have illustrated the upper ends of the arms 11 attached to a flange member 18 carried on the lower end portion 19 of the stem 15. The flange member 18 projects a suitable distance from the stem and has a downwardly facing groove toreceive the upper ends of the arms 11.- A ring 20 is carried on the reducedportion of the stem below the flange 18 and has projecting pins 21 which extend outwardly through openings in the arms and thus hold the arms up or in the proper seated engagement in the flange 18. 'Ihe lit'of the parts just described is such as toV allow the arms 11 to work or swing in the desired manner as a tool is operated.

The spring means 12, provided for non mallyfholding the arms .11 out :or apart, may include any suitable arrangement of springs. In the `form of the invention illustrated I provide a plurality of springs 22 immediately below the' ring 20v to engage theinner. sides of `the. arms 11. The springs normallybear outwardly against the arms to'hold them out against `the interior of the body 10, as `clearly shown 1 0f the drawings. springs 22 are held between the ring 2O and a nut 23 screw threaded on the lower end of the stem portion 19.

The levers 13 provided for operating the arms 11 are arranged within the body 10 and have their upper ends pivotally held in the body and their lower ends arranged to engage the outer sides of the arms 11 at points somewhatjbelow the pivotal mountings of the arms 11. In practice I may provide a lever 13 for actuating -each arm 11, as clearly shown throughout the drawings. The upper ends of the levers 13 are carried by a flange 25 projecting radially from the portion 19 of the stem 15. The flange 25 has a downwardly facing groove receiving the upper ends of the levers 13. A ring 26 is carried on the stem portion 19 immediately below the flange 25 and has outwardly projecting pins 27 which extendfthrough openings in the levers to hold on the interior of the body in position to be in register with the levers 13v as the tool is being operated-to extend the arms 11. Each lugor projection 28 has a beveled face 30 operable to-receive the lower end portion of a lever y134 and cause the lever to move or swing inwardly. In the form of the invention illustrated a notch or opening 31 is provided in each projection 28 to receive anl arm 11 and the levers are madesufliciently wide to span the opening 31.

lInfthe construction illustrated in the draw ings the flange 25 bears upwardly against a shoulder on the stem 15` and the various other parts above referred to as being carried on the stem portion19 on the flange 18 are held in assembled position by means of the nut 23. In v.practice a suitable spacer 34 may be arranged on the portion `19 between the ring 2G and the flange 18. From inspection of the drawings itzwill be obvious how the single nut 23 operates to effectively hold the entire construction `assembled and in4 condition for operation. With this construction, removal of a single member.. that is, removal of the nut 23', Aallows the arms 114 and also'the levers .1

13 to 'be detached from their mountings. When the nut 23 is removed or loosened sulliciently, t-he rings 20 and 26 can belowered away from the flanges 18 and 25, respectively,

allowing the arms andlevers to be removed l'i from the pins projecting from the rings.

The control means includes, generally,v a guide plate 40 iXed to thejlower end of the body 10 and aheadA 41 carried by the guide plate 40. n guideplate is fixed, formin- I? loe feta-neet screw :threaded itofathe flowerfvend-iportion ofthe hodyglO, and is providedzwvith :a i plurality :of spaced openings 48 ein register `with the Aarmeull and :adaptedgto passithe arinsas'ithe :tool is operated. 1T-he` head-4l t iis -rotatablyoarried in an :opening42 formed i, centrallykin the guide Aplate40 yand has down- 4Wardly:projecting parts-44 below lthe guide `plate 401:adapted rto engage the ish` or object l to be removed Vfrom the welll. Y Tfheeparts44 Y alie l designed aso `that :they tend lto` eausezrota- V Vguide 4iplate 40. 'lfhisI iange -45 has fheveled `tion oythe yheadasfthetoo'l is 4lowvered against any ohj'eotisuoh as iis ordinarily :tolbe fished iironifaivvell'bere The head41fhas a flange part .45: slidably :fitting-the upper sideo'f'the r-taoes 46ml which the lower endsoflthearms i "Irl restvvhen thetool 4is inthe positionshown in gltligy'l, Jandlias openings147 adjacentthe beveled faces 46 tohpass thearms l'lwhen i VVit-hfthegeonstrufotion "just jdescribed,-rota tionof the' headf41,\caused hf; the-parts 44 V.'engaging Vthe "fish,A )causes the rilange'45 Fito rotate .sof-that fthe; iarrnsll lnove off ofthe" A `beveled faees-f461andenterf'the1openings'47 f lWvardlyandwpassfthrough:the openings v43 .in -`iythesguide1plate'40." 1 seuils 4 foollarfland `the sleeve-91am roughened, *'for'inst-anfoe, provided Witlisniall teethvor -so'thatethey can then; oontinuevto move downirregularit-ies,eto zprevent :turning of the-body relative to "t-hendrill-stern Whennthe tool is ibeilngloperated so thatithewparts 44 engagea thelbjodyl `lOWill not rrotatesrela'tive to :the

`idrill "pipe when Ithefitoo'l is lowered 'into en-Vv Y 'gagementfwithth'efshi andit is necessary" for `Ltherhead41torotatefto release theuarms lil. l

l The vsternlil'grto"which the armsiilll band leversfl?) are e'onneoted thirough I the flanges 1207i and 25, respectively,` iexten'ds longitudi Fna-ll'y through `the? eddy l0 1 andV proj eetsa su hf lstantialldistanoe 'ahovethe other `parts just mentioned. A piston 50 is Carried'ionffthe `-upperliend'f'portion offthe sltemand slidably itswthe Iinterior offithefhodyl() yso thatthe Y `stem oanbe operateddownvvardly in `the'loody Lby fluid fipressure applied from above.. I It -Willbe fohvious from-.the drawings lhoWflu'idi fpressure applied ahovethe piston foperates sing .thearmswll aandrthejlleversil down; l "vvardly..` Thisfdownwardinovenientof the parts Cannot ooourfuntil the controlzrneans hasbeen .1 operated to hring the aopeninge 47 into register Withlthe i openings `43. i

v Theratohetdeviceil engages the :stem 6:60

Afto prevent-tit" `from movingzupwardlyf in 'the `ibodyafter it hasiheeiL-aotuated byfpressure i :appliedito:thelpistonrO. Inatiheformiofzpthe- :invention:` illustrated thergratehet nie'ansainengaging the ppawl fromgthe :teeth 5l" `A spring 59 @normally engages the jpawlto hold ther, it isdesirablfe to-providegarmeans Wvllevjeoting upwardly through the t `stein l5. :Asuitahle paolringfglandanaybe providedaround the wasnpipe lfattheilower fend of the stemlgas shown in'iEig-sprl,` 2 andi-3 of the ,dravvings.; QEhefWaSh-ipipe 81 tis ,provided with lateral openings i184 at; afpoint of .the stein; The shaft` has. a projecting end portion :58

lat #the exteriorlof the body adapted to the vengagedfor lthe ,purpose of -d'isf `meshes'vvith geartee`thf52 providedon the i stein. j The shaft.A 5,1. has a projecting `end `53` at the exterior offthebody so that it can hevig() engaged androtated inorderto rotate the pinion. i' Whenthe pinion isprfotated it Go- :operates with 1 the `gear. rteeth 017 I `:ratchet` 52 Lto move the stem l5 longitudinally i Within the body. i

L85 The iinventlon provides means Within fthe tool :tor handling Circulatingfluidesothatit `:is :introduced at-the gripping or-jaw'portions 15'? fofithe arms lil as the tool -operates.` -Fur- #l0 :by the ciroulationmayihe employedjas an-in-V n d t dieator ofthe operating positionof-theftool.

\ In'thef form ofthe invent-ion illustrated `the o isteni l5 is` `prn'lided Witlra central longitudinal Circulation openin'gfiandthe head 4l i,

has atubularextensionyor .Wash aipefl pifodlate 40 and into the lower-end :of the; opening `8O ofthe Within ,thehead 41 Communicating `Witlifopen- :ings 85 adapted to eooperatewviththe .open-105 -ings 43 :in the guideplatef40` Tzhe-ports are `arrangedand related sols that theiopenings 85 :are closed, or :do not registerw vvitlrthe` f `openings43 whenthefpartsgareinV position to in; Eig, l, `and ronlyfnegister :withfthe Aopenings43iwhen` thefparts are positioned to al- `low the arms to project downwardly gironi" theibody as `shown-in 125and 3. f Inthe Y oase `:illustrated ,the g openings .1815 are" Shaped v a, i 5 ,tofdisohargedotvnwardly `through the openings 43 inrtheguide. g Bygproviding. an open-` ing 85 t0 dischargedownivardlythrougheah opening 435the arnis ll'areeffectifly llushed as the tool operates', `and `in this Wray the cirlao oulationfluidmaterially aids the action of the tool. Itvvill beyobvious, of course, thatlthe opening of thejports to allow. Circulation vthroughthe openings 43-gre"lieves the pressure of the eiroulationihidsothat the "operator 'knows the tool inoperative position.

In operationtheffparts are 'positioned shown in lFig; ljfsofthat-ithe arnisfllfare enf .tirely fwithin @the bodyf i101' and the-Tfguide` memberctfandithe plate 4l are.=related sothat `5130 the' arms 11 are held in the body. The tool is lowered in the well and, upon reaching the right location, for instance, the bottom of the well, the parts 44 of the head engage the bottom of vthe well, or the object to be fished from the well, as shown in Fig. 1. The head 41 then rotates causing the openings 48 and 47 to register and the circulation openings 84 to register with the ports 85. Vlhen the arms 11 are released ready for projection from the body, circulation is established at the arms. The registering of the openings 84 and S5 to establish circulation indicates to the driller that the tool is ready for operation. The 'luidpressure applied through the drillV pipe forces the piston 50 ldownwardly in the body causing the arms 11 to be proj ec"- ed from the lower end of the body while they are held out by the springs 22. VJhen the arms are well beyond the end of the body and are in position to engage around the object to be fished from the well, thelevers 13 engage the projections 28 and,as they move downwardly with relation to the projections 28, they are moved inwardly and engage the arms 11 to move the arms inwardly. The engagement of the arms by the levers causes the lower end portions, or the jaw portions of the arms, to move inwardly and grip the object lost in the well. As this action progresses, the ratchet operates to hold the stem 15 so that the parts will not retract. Vhen the tool has been operated as shown in Fig. 3, it is removed from the well and the object caught between the jaw portions of the arms is removed by releasing the'pawl 575 and allowing the stem to move upwardly with relation to the body. Y Y

Having described only a typical, preferred form of my invention, l do not wish to limit myself to the speciiic details hereinabove set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may occur to those skilled in the artor fall within the scope of the following claims'.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A tool of the character described including, a tubular body, a stem shiftably carried in the body, spaced arms pivotally connected with the stem to be shiftable therewith and to have free ends normally within the body, means for operating the stem to project the arms from the body, andrmeans for operating the free ends of the arms t0- ward each other when projected from the body. Y

2. A tool of the character described includinga tubular body, a stem in the body, spaced arms pivotally attached to the stem so that they are normally within the body, Huid pressure means for operating the stem through the body to project the arms "from the'body and means-to cause the free ends L `Vofthe arms to approach one another when projected from the body by the fluid pressure means.

3. A tool of the character described including, a tubular body, a stem in the body, means for operating the stem through the body, arms on the stem having spaced tree ends normally within the body, means normally holding the :tree ends of the arms apart, fluid pressure means for operating the stem through the body to project the arms from the body, and means for causing the free ends of the arms to approach each other when projected from the body.

4. A tool of the character described including, a tubular body. a stem operable longitudinally in the body, spaced `gripping arms pivotally attached to the stem to be operable therewith and so that they are normally within the body, means for moving the stem through the body in one direction to project the arms from the body, means for preventing movement of the stem in the opposite direction, and means for moving the free ends of the arms toward one another.

.5. Atool of the character described including a tubular body, a stem extending through the body,:spaced gripping arms piv- .otally attached to the stem, ratchet means permitting movement of the stem in one direction through the body and preventing movement of the stem in the opposite direction, and means for causing the free ends of thearms Vto move toward one another.

6. A tool of the character described including, a tubular body, a stem extending through the body,`gripping arms attached to the stem having spaced free ends, ratchet means'permitting movement of the stem in one direction through the body 'and preventing movement of the stem in the opposite direction, means for disengaging the ratchet means, manual means for operating the stem in `either direction upon disengagement of the ratchet means, and means for causing the free ends of the arms to move toward one another.

7. A tool of thel character described including, a tubular body, a stem eXtending through the body, spaced'gripping arms on the stem operable between a position where their free ends are spaced apart and a po sition where their free ends are adapted to grip anobject, and means controlling operation of the arms, said means including a head rotatably mounted in the body having openings to pass the arms.

8. A tool of the character described in* cluding, an elongate .tubular body, a stem extending through the body, spaced gripping arms on the stem operable between a position where their free ends are spaced apart and a position where their free ends are' adapted to grip an object, and means controlling operation of the arms, said means including a'V plate fixed on the body and a body.

rotatable head cooperating With the "plate, the plate and the head having openings adapted to pass the arms. 9. A tool of the character described including, an elongate tubular body, a stemextending through the body,rspaced gripping arms V on the stem operable between a position Where their free ends are spaced apart and a position Where their free ends are adapted to grip an object, and means controlling opj eration of the arms, said means including a plate closing one end of the body, there being openings in the plate, and a rotatable head cooperating With the plate normally supporting the gripping arms and having openings adapted to pass the arms, anda part on the head proj ecting'from the body.

l0. A tool of the character described including a tubular body, a stem extending into the body, a plurality of spaced gripping arms pivotally mounted on the stem and normally located completely Within the body, iluid pressure means to operate the stem and arms through the body, and means to cause the free ends of the arms to move toward each other upon being operated to positions Where they project from the body.

ll. A tool of the character described inl cluding, a tubular body, a stem in the body, a

plurality ofspaced gripping arms pivotally attached to the stem, means for moving the ends of the armstogether when the stem is operated through the body, and means for operating the stem through the body including a piston on the stem operating in the 12. A tool of the characterV described including, a tubular body, a-stem in the body, arms on the stem having spaced free ends normally Within the body, spring means normally holding the free ends of the arms apart, Huid from the body, and means for causing the free ends of the arms to approach each other When outside of the body.

13. A tool of the character described for use in connection With a string of drillpipe,

including a body sWivel'ly connected to the drill pipe, a stem extending through the body,

spaced gripping arms pivotally connected to the stem, a rotatable head projecting from the body, means for operating the arms to grip an object, and means releasably holding the body against rotation relative to the drill v pipe. Y 14. A tool of thecharacter` described for use in connection with va string of drill pipe, including a body sWivelly connected to the" drill pipe, a `stem extending through the body, spaced vgripping arms pivotally Vconnected to the stem, a rotatable head projectsA by fluid pressure, levers on the stem, and i projections on the body to cooperate With the levers in forcing the end portions ofthe arms together upon movement of the stem. j n

15.7Aj tool of the character described including a tubular body, a stem extending `through the body, ayplurality of gripping arms symmetrically arranged on the stem and having spaced end portions, a plurality of levers pivoted on the stem at points spaced from the arms there being a lever engaging each arm, means for operating the` stem through the body, and beveled projections on the body to engage the levers and force them` against the arms as the stem operates through the body.

16. A toolof the character described inpressure means for operating the stem through the body to project the arms v ing from the body, means for operatingthe Y armsto grip an object, the last mentionedV means including means on the stem operable loo 

